Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel], February 17, 1870, Image 1

About Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975

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PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING (SUNDAYS EXCEPTED), BY SPRAGUE, OWEN & NASH. TERMS: SEVEN DOLLARS PER ANNUM. SINGLE COPIES, FOUR CENTS.
YOL. 1.
AUGUSTA, ME., THURSDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 17, 1870.
NO. 41.
Jttnntkc fflurnal. i
Published on Water, Foot of Ooort Street,
AUGUSTA, MAINE.
BT SPEA6FE, OWEN A NASH.
$ailg Jttmu&fr journal.
Is issued every morning, except Sundays.
Contains the latest news by telegraph and mall,
and gives the proceedings of the Legislature in full, {
also reports of proceedings of important commit*
tees and the Agricultural and Educational depart* j
meats.
Terms, S' per annum <n tulranct; $8 if payment
is not made within the year, Single copies 4 cents,
to be had at the bookstores and at this office.
Advertisements one inch in length, three in
sertions or less, #1.00; 23 cts. for every subsequent
insertion. Longer advertisements, or those Inserted
for any considerable length of time, will be inserted
at favorable terms to the advertiser.
Special Notices 23 per cent, additional.
Amusement Notices, #2 per square per week.
Meehli) Jiennebet Journal,
Published every Wednesday morning,
la the largest tollo paper lu the State, containing
news, political article*, agricultural and scientific ’
matter, tales, poetry, anecdotes, household recipes,
markets, Ac., Ac.
Terms $2 per annum in advance4
Transient Adrertisemente, $1.60 per inch for
first week; 23 cents per week for each subsequent
insertion.
Special Notices, $2 00 per inch for first week;
60 cents per week for each subsequent week.
Business Notices, In reading columns, 20 cents
per line for first insertion; 10 ceuts per line for each
subsequent insertion.
All transient adrertisements to be paid for in
adranee.
I
I. c,
o.
. C. I. c.
r, 8,
SOMES’
Oyster, Fruit and Confectionery
SALOON!
Opposite Masonic Block, Gardiner, Me.
THE BEST OYSTER COOK
in the State.
Solid Oyrtera, SO cents per quart. T, •, B.
To the people at large,
Who this notice may read.
And your,circs in Gardiner should And:
If you want a good stew,
You should know where to go
lfs to Somes’, 7, •• •.
C. T. SOMES
Gardiner, Jan. 1st, 1870. fij.in70-tf
cThTstakwed, |
Photographer and Artist,
JTEtT GRAXITE BLOCK,
Nearly opposite Post Offloe, (Up Stairs.)
Makes all the best styles of Pictures in the Art.
NCTIRE8 COrliFA ENLARGED,
— AKD—
Finished In India Ink or Colors.
At prices that cannot fail to be satitfactory.
rp’The public are Incited to call and examine
Specimons mods and rfnisked at hit rooms.
_AUGUSTA. M E._HlanTOds
Brewster’s Hotel,
SKOWHBOAN, IRE.
rpHIS large and commodious Hotel is situated at
I the head of tho Falls on the Kennebec river, in
the enterprising village of Skowhegan, the terminus
of the Portland A Kennebec K. R.
This is oue of the best arranged Hotels for family
borders there is in the State, and a better place for
Summer resort, cannot be found in Maine. Tho
best of water, beautiful drives on the banks of the
river, fishing and sailing ponds in the vicinity, trout
brooks, where you can catch an abundance of the
spotted brook trout any day in the year.
Prices for permanent or transient hoarding are
Tery low, so our customers can afford to come oilen |
ana stay a good while.
We also have a large airy stable to lwvnrd horses
for the guests that wish to bring their teams with
them. Also one of the best half-mile trotting parks
iu the State, is connected with the House, free for
the guests to train their horsos or drive for pleasure. !
tl7Jan-tt S. B. BREWSTER, Proprietor.
BATH HOTEL,
By O. AdC. Plummer,
BATH, HE.
Board, - - $1 per Bay.
HUan-ly
Photographs & Melanotvpes,
At the name OLD PLACK,
At the mb* OLD PRICKS, tIii
9 1-9 size Pictures in Cards for 50 cents.
4 1-4 “ “ 50 •*
4 1-4 “ in Card envelopes, 50 cts.
1 5x7 “ in Mat, 50 “
16 TINTYPES for 25 cents.
A good assortment ot
FRAHEM, ALRVMS, *f.,
dot on hand. SW Particular attention given to
copying.
8 Boon aoath of tha Port Mec, 4BSI8TA, MB.
tljan70-8m H. BAILEY.
Great Improvement in
Artificial Teeth.
BB. SNELL
INSERTS Teeth on Rubhek by a new process, by
which the plate la made aa thin as a metallic
baae; at the aame time the plate is flexible, and leas
liable to break.
This mode insures likewise the certainty of a
perfect tit.
Havinirpnrehased the erclusire right to nse this
"K*M in Kennebec county, 1 shall be nappy to show
its peculiar advantages to any one who needs arti
ficial teeth.
•9 Winthrop Street.
Augusta, Jan. Mth, 1870. »29Jan-SwftJw0
Cough Candy!
WERBEinDMI COreS CANDY enrol
COUGHS, COLDS, WHOOPING COUGH and
all Throat troubles.
2 Doors south of Granite Block, Market Sq.
MUSICAL INSTBLMEItTS,
Vauioy Goode, Obo„ sold by
iaal-lyt W. WENDKNBUUG.
Til A ’ • ° ,,l;v
* ^ V 77. -» *nd•« ki0(ls' *°*® au«
A'*°- ^ X'Usr c'CO,amou
d °«nts> Tl| ' V j rp
8 '
VKs^r^r '* wP***.
8. ,he * ■*«■ *treejt
»4 »he *•<* to b »A*St?*° TC S 1
" *r°* * vs***.
, x*. Jp bvyvb7,'*i*ts
So I P tD°H^V rT, r>a*
«os, 15 '» •ii.g’J.fWcas,
_ »„.t®«ic/ sr"«. '
"SJiUC
r*,XKL°0K, -
* ^ice,,
«£■£>
«ArcHPnrs «® tts»
^*■2.***/*r*I?fc*UlTS, '
mc’£ c^7-ufS7,Z:»«*s.
iooxv *?•• TT J?^G S7'o»
eet'^»ffS^trCo-,
* V«‘«e.
«©o
Jo«
o*°«
»oo
I®.o«
the
MANSION HOUSE,
i STATE STREET, i ! AUGUSTA, ME.
rpHIS House is provided wit# Bath Rooms,
±. where 11.4 and Cold Baths can he had at all
.lines. It has also a Eirst-Clacs Milliard Hall, for
■ uesls only. Connected with the House is a Urge
md commodious Sample Room, on Water Street,
centrally located, where Sample Agents can show
i their goods, free of charge.
The Proprietor, thankful for the liberal patronage
which the above House has enjoyed since its open
ing, takes pleasure in informing his patrous that he
will run Free Carriages to and from the Cars and
Moats until further notice
Connected with the above House is a Livery Sta
. hie, where good teams can be had at reasonable
rates. \V. M. TIIAYEK, Proprietor.
G. P. Cochrans, Clerk.
GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!
ADAMSON’S
BOTANIC COUGH BALSAM!
IS MORE VALUABLE TIIAX GOLD.
FRY IT! TRY IT! TRY IT!
IT CURES THE WORST
COUGH or COLD
IN A SHORT TIME.
IN LARGE BOTTLES, at - - - 35 Cents.
No Our© ! No Pay 2
FRANK KINSMAN,
DRUGGIST,
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL AGENT
FOR THE UNITED STATES AND CANADAS.
Cough no more when you oan be Cured for
355 Cents!
TRY IT! TRY IT! TRY IT!
STATE UNIFORMITY OF TEXT
BOOKS.
To the Editor of the Keunelec Journal:
The following is respectfully submitted in
reply to a communication signed “X,” which
appeared in the columns of the Portland
Press, issued Feb. lltli.
In entering upon my duties as State Super
intendent of Common Schools, I determined
upon the following plan of work :
1st. To render the agencies in hand as
efficient as possible. To accomplish this,
earnest and urgent appeals were issued to
teachers and school officials, entreating their
hearty co-operation and best effort in their
several spheres of labor. My personal en
deavors were so directed as to unite in Bolid
column the seven thousand teachers and the
thousand other educate^ in the State.
2d. To add to the agencies in hand such
other legitimate means as the educational
campaign seemed to demand, in accordance
with the judgment of the educators thus unit
ed. Hence originated the legislation of 1*6‘J,
establishing Teachers’ Institutes and County
Supervision, to secure better methods of in
struction and superior inspection, the two ac
| knowledged elements of a vigorous school
| growth.
du. To stop the leaks and icaste in the
school machinery and educational operations
of the State. Under this head eame poor
school houses, the district system and its
abolition, district agency and the employment
of teachers by the S. S. Committee, a natural
and proper course of study, and the text books.
Such was the plan of work, and I have indi
cated it here simply to show that Uniformity
of Text ISooks is neither a “scheme” nor a
“hobby” on my part, but a legitimate item in
my honest endeavors to render our education
al work complete and to realize the highest
possible results. While, therefore, general
agreement exists on all the preceding points
j but one, there is an honest difference of opin
ion in respect to Text Hooks. Both sides
i agree that Uniformity of Text Books is
necessary in the same school, in the same
district and in the same town. To accom
plish this, State legislation is necessary. Both
sides agree on this point. Here we leave
each other. I simply keep on and contend
that State uniformity is desirable, and neces
sary to secure the uniformity required in sin
gle schools, districts and towns, for the follow
i ing reasons :
1st. Town uniformity can never meet the
wants of the migratory classes. Into our
plantations, newly-settled towns, larger and
growing villages and cities, and-manufactur
ing towns, up and down the principal river
courses and along the principal railways,
there is a constant flux und reflux of the
laboring classes. Their limited means forbid
the expenditure necessary to the purchase ol
mw books. There is also the change of resi
dence required by regular pursuits, as of busi
ness men, itinerating clergymen and others.
The expenditures incurred by the foregoing
do not constitute a small item. Besides, we
must consider how many youth do not And
their way into the school room, because parents
are not able to furnish the necessary books.
It is not sufficient to inquire how many have
been obliged to buy new books. I recall in
stances where parents were unable to make
the necessary purchases, and have put the
boy into the saw mill and the girl into the
cotton mill. Of course they will grow up in
I ignorance, and ignorance begets vice and
swells the criminal list. This needs no dis
cussion. Our opponents allow this point, and
simply assert that we “exaggerate” the evil,
and that “it is not well to legislate for the
few as against the many.” The evil is there
fore granted, while it can be conclusively
shown that it is “the many" who demand uni
formity and “the few" who are opposed to it.
2d. Town uniformity as a State measure
has never been a success. The interchangwof
population naturally brings in books different
from those selected. Teachers trom adjoin
ing towns prefer to use their own tools, and
therefore encourage exchanges. Active book
agents stand ready to press their claims and
to urge upon committees the adoption of new
books. Sometimes the committees are not
careful in their first selection. Sometimes
they are not fully competent to select. Some
times they are book agents themselves, and
therefore partial in their decisions. Some
times they are influenced by improper mo
tives, sometimes with gifts of books, per
centage of sales, or directly by money paid
for services. Out of this have grown the
multiplicity of text books, the frequent
changes, the high prices and the general com
plaint of the people, apparent in every school
report for the past ten years. In lt*61 the
legislature passed the following resolve :
“ Whereas, The inhabitants of this State
are subjected to a heavy expense and to vari
ous other inconveniences by the frequent
changes made in the text books used in our
public schools; and whereas this want of
uniformity and permanency interferes with
the best progress of public education, therefore
Resolved. That the Superintendent of Com
mon Schools be instructed to make special
examination of this whole subject, and pre
sent the result of his inquiries in his next an
nual report, with a view to such future legis
lation as may be deemed expedient.”
In accordance w ith the resolve, Superinten
dent Weston reports the following result of
his investigations :
•■me numucr oi auiuorsreporteuasusea to
a greater or less extent, may be summed up
’as follows : In Arithmetic, nine; in Grarn
mar, ten; in Geography, thirteen; in Head
ing, nine, and in History, six. Most of these
authors have a series of hooks in their several
departments, making the number of indi
vidual kinds very much larger. I hare made
no list of books used in the study of the high
er branches. They nre quite “too numerous
to mention,” and it is of less importance to
name them, since the difficulty so much com
plained of, and which we are anxious to re
lieve, is found mainly among the lower
schools. ”
Superintendent Weston, in answer to the
question "Is legislation Heeded?" answers as
follows :
“The resolve requires this •examination’
and ‘report,’ with an avowed reference to
‘such future legislation as may be deemed
expedient.’ I have presented sufficient evi
dence of the ‘various inconveniences' de
clared in the preamble. Is there any power
in the system as it now exists, to work itself
clear of the evils experienced? I set none.
On the other hand, as text books multiply and
competing publishers issue new editions of
‘enterprising agents,’—as long as supervisors
are fond of novelties, and love to do some
thing noticeahle to mark their accession to
office, these changes will continue to be made,
not only for good reasons, but without reason
and contrary to reason. I am convinced then,
that ‘something should be done.’ Several of
the extracts given indicate the direction which
the public mind is taking. The unlv feasible
plan seems to be, to authorize the selection of
a list of books to be used in all the public
schools of the State for ‘a term uf years;'
a change to be made at the end of that tim*J
in a part or whole of them—or none—as may
seem desirable.”
From the suggestions thus made came in
18(52 the five-year law requiring town uni
formity, which, however, did not fully meet
the views or demands of Superintendent
Weston. In his report of 1802, page 95, we
find the following remarks:
“The Superintendent regrets that the plan
recommended in his last report, by which a
uniformity in school books would have been
secured throughout the whole State, was not
adopted by the last legislature. The experi
ment had been successfully tried elsewhere,
and a similar law was loudly called for in all
parts of the State. The demand is scarcely
lessened by the amendment of last winter.
That amendment was introduced while the
act was on its passage, by a gentleman who
earnestly favored the adoption of the more
comprehensive plan, and was regarded by
him as only aimed in the right direction; and
the best which could be secured in the cir
cumstances. It seems to me, on careful ob
servation and reflection, to be adapted to pro
duce more confusion than it saves; by the
clamor and contest among publishers operat
ing by agents on all the school officers in the
State, and introducing a larger variety of
books into our domain than ever before. 4
earnestly recommend, therefore, that a law
requiring uniformity in the whole State.—
with all its provisions carefully and wisely
made, he enacted at the ensuing session of the
Legislature.”
n,xpenencc lias shown that tne nvc-year
law of 18«2 lias not accomplished the desired
result. Therefore we find that in l8t>8 the
legislature passed the following resolve :
“ Hesclred. That the State Superintendent of
common schools bo and hereby is directed to
collect statistics showing the various kinds of
text books used in the public schools in this
State, the number of schools using each
series of such books, and the number, size
and cost of the same, together with such other
information as he may be able to obtain with
reference to the subject, and the desirability
and possibility of securing a uniformity of
text books in the schools of the State at re
duced prices; and that the Superintendent
incorporate the result of his investigations in
his next annual report."
The foregoing resolve was enacted previous
to my entering upon the duties of State Super
intendent and without my knowledge, In
conformity with the resolve, blanks were is
sued and returns received from nearly 225
towns. My comments then on the results in
dicated were as follows :
“Sufficient replies have been received to ex
hibit both the variety and uniformity of text
books, the frequent changes, cost of books
and the general expression for or against
town and State uniformity. The answers
have been appended to the several interroga
tories as succinctly as possible, so that a Brief
perusal will suffice for pages of analysis and
explanation. The great variety of textbooks
is evident, and although a few seem to out
strip the rest in the race, as for instance,
readers, arithmetics, spelling-books and geog
raphies, yet the fact that publishing houses
are running a race, is sufficient to indicate that
the present ratio of text book series is not a
constant quantity, but subject to variations
dependent on the energy, skill and pertinacity
of book publishers, book dealers and book
agents,"
In view of the fact, therefore, that the plan
for town uni formity had failed, that there ex
isted an immense waste in teaching force, loss
of time to the child and needless expense to
the parent in consequence of this failure of
the town plan, I advocated State legislation
to secure State uniformity. Sec pages 104,
111, report 1808. To make the town law
more effective a penalty of 8500 was attached
last winter. Yet in the very face and eyes of
this law A. S. Barnes & Co.. I am informed,
have effected changes of readers in more
than two hundred towns of this State the past
year, and, indeed. 1 have never known a year
when so many changes in books have been
made as in the past year. The town plan,
even with a penalty attached, fails to secure
the desired results. Our opponents, however,
explain the failure in the following expression :
“We think it clear that if Mr. Johnson and
his County Supervisors had devoted one-half
as much time and labor to the discharge of
their duty in the enforcement of our present
laws as they have to talking up and engineer
in'! their scheme for Slate uniformity, the
evils they now so much deplore would not
exist, and town uniformity would be an ac
complished fact.” fSee Daily Cress. Feb.
11th. The italics are ours). The want of
common courtesy in this expression I cheer
fully pass over, but am astonished at the ig
norance displayed in regard to the duties of
the County Supervisors and of the Superin
tendent, and the announced falsehood ot “en
gineering their scheme for State uniformity.”
The duties of the County Supervisors and
State Superintendent are simply advisory and
suggestive, not executive. The supervisors
are forbidden by law to use their influence in
recommending or procuring the use ol any
book. The State Superintendent shall “pre
scribe the course of studies” taught in the
common schools, reserving to town commit
tees the right to prescribe additional studies,
lie has no authority over the text books—
nothing beyond his personal influence. It
will be said that us a “school official" he may
make complaint in case of violation. True,
but successful litigation in such instances with
S. S. Committees, would not compensate for
the loss of influence in educational efforts.
The town of I’ownal referred to secured uni
formity through its own spontaneous efforts,
and not through the direct personal labors of
Mr Webb. This town also is one of the most
earnest in favor of State uniformity. Let
me inquire whether the advocates of town
uniformity have discharged their duties in
this direction. Town uniformity has failed
in other States also. There is hardly a North
ern State which has not at some time within
the past ten or fifteen years agitated the ques
tion of State uniformity publicly and in the
legislative halls, indicating a dissatisfaction
with the town plan. “X" states in his com
munication that “in A^assachusetts, years
ago, Horace Mann recommended that the S.
S. Committees conform to the law (for town
uniformity), and that the teachers be obliged
to comply with the directions of the commit
tees. This course was adopted, town tiui
tommy was entorcta anil was tounu to ne au
that the interests of the schools required
Lot us see what the testimony of Massachu
setts is in the year 1868. I quote the follow
ing from the report of the Board of Education
for that vear:
"Text Books. The want of system iu our text
books is a serious evil, and ooe which seems to
grow from year to year. As few of the members
of the school oommittees or of the teachers hare
the time and means to make a faithful comparison
of the multitudinous varieties of grammars ge
ographies and aritbmetios which swarm thiok as
leaves in Vatlaiubroea, they are muoh at the meroy
of enterprising publishers and book-agents. Bad
books, or inferior books, wbioh are issued hr a
wealthy auil energetic business firm, will ofteu
drive out better ones, whose authors or proprietors !
have relaxed their efforts, it would seem desira
ble to have some judicious board or commission,
wholly independent of authors and publishers,
who should carefully examine and compare all the
text-books in vogue, and publish a list of the
best, describing them and pointing out their vari
ous characteristics.
This would not oblige any to aocopt their recom
mendations, but many a puzzled teacher or anxious
school committee would be thankful for such a
guide through the intricate wilderness of school
books they are now oblige to traverse. It may be
thought that this board might itself furnish such a
catalogue rauonee of school books. Perhaps it
might. Yet it could be done still more thoroughly
by a special commission, appointed for that pur
pose, and consisting in part of the ablest practical
teachers, male and female, and in part of distin
guished literary inen, who are most familiar with
these studies. A catalogue of school books care
fully prepared by such a commission, might indeed
' excite the ill-will of publishers whose books should
! not receive a favorable notice therein, but would
not fail of beiug very acceptable to the great mul
| titude of teachers and parents.
, Alex II. Dullock, William Claflin, James Free
man Clarke, John P. Marshall, George D. Wildes,
William Kice, Emory Washburue, Samuel T.
Seelye, John L>. Pbilbrick, and David II. Mason.”
This certainly acknowledges the evil as existing
; and (/rowing. The suggestions of the ‘‘judicious
hoard of commissioners” would avail but little
against the “enterprising publishers” alluded to.
; The recommendation fails to grapplo with the
I difficulty, it does not “seize the bull by the horns.”
A recent order introduced into the General As
sembly of Massachusetts, and adopted with regard
to State uniformity and securing books at cost,
would seem to indicate that town uniformity was
not “found to.be all that the interests of the schools
required.”
>uperintemient Northrop of Conn., reports as
follows:
“The variety of text-books on the same subject,
i which I find in very many schools, is a great
j hindrance to classification and progress. Each
j new teacher is allowed to introduce hir*favorite
, authors. New scholars from other districts,
towns, or States, retain their old books. In one
j school I found seven classes in geography, where,
with uniformity of books, thoy would be reduced
| to three, to the great improvement of the school.
In another school, with nineteen scholars, there
! were six classes in spelling, seven in readiug, five
in arithmetic, and seven in geography. The re
; suit is “confusion oonfbunded,” the embarrassment
of the teacher, and discouragement of the pupil.
Instead of system, classification, and thoroughness,
the teacher’s time is wasted ou a medley of text
books. When no two have the same book, the
recitations of each individual by himself must be
hurried and superficial.”
From New York we glean the following :
“An evil, not the least among others which
ought to be corrected, is the variety of text-books
in use in the schools.” The diversity of text-books
is one of the greatest difficulties teachers have to
contend with Can not our legislature be induced
to pass an act directing that a uniformity series of
text-books be used throughout the common schools
of the State? “There is an evil, a gigantic one,
which calls loudly for a speedy remedy. It seems
to me that an effectual remedy for this may be
found by having the State prescribe the use of
text-books which shall be uniform either through
out its entire jurisdiction or in each county. Any
one familiar with the workings of our common
schools cannot fail to coincide with the opinion that
a want of uniformity of text-books is a serious
impediment. I suggest the following feasible plan :
j The department of public instruction, or other
| State authority to appoint a committee, composed
I of some of the most competent educators to pre
pare a series of text-books on all the subjects re
garded as common school studies, the copyright
being in the name of the State and all persons
within the State, who might choose, having the
right to publish the same." This is essentially
| the plau adopted for several years in Canada West,
j now Ontario. I might instance other States, but
j sufficient evidence has been adduced to show that
town uniformity is by no meins a satisfactory so
lution of the text-book difficulties. Hon. P. Mc
Vicar, Superintendent of Kansas, to whom our
opponents refer, says : “Let State uniformity take
care of itself provided district uniformity be se
cured.” Ay, there's the rub. The Superintendent
of Michigan remarks, “our schools are also labor
ing under a great disadvantage from a want of uni
formity of text-books.” The italics are his Suffi
cient on this point io evidence against town or
district uniformity as a means in itself to remedy
the text-book evils.
3d. Some of the best, I think a majority of the best,
public school educators endorse fully the plan of State
Uniformity. I have already adduced the testi
mony of Supt. K. I* Weston. Hon. J. P. Craig,
I Supt for 1856, in bis general remarks, suggests
j “that the Supt. bo required to recommend in his
I Annual lie port such changes in the use of text
| books as will secure a perfect uniformity in the
| towns throughout the State ” llis successor, lion,
j Mark il Duunell, now Superintendent of Miuueso
| ta, iu which Stale uniformity wss established by
! law, remarks iu his r*p .rt for 18*8: “I am happy
to bo able to report th*t the teachers in our public
j schools, and county and other school officials, have
; with great unanimity approved of the selections
, made and have cheerfully assisted in the work of
{ introduction This w- rk has been one • f far
greater magnitude than was anticipated When it
1 shall be accomplished our schools will exhibit the bme
J ticial results of uniformity in text-book9 used, and
piirents will freely admit that uniformity is economy ’
Hr. Elwurd Hyarson, who has for years stood at
j the bead of the schools in Canada, acknowledged as
. one of the foremost educators iu America, thorough
ly versed In the school systems of Europe, both
from extensive investigations un i general experi
ence and inspection, in his report of the Common
Schools of Upper Canada, 1866, expresses the fol
■ lowing:
mere is perioci unanimity among eauoauoniMS
| in both Europe and America to the importance ot a
1 uniform series of text-books for the public schools,
. and as to the evils of a variety of text-books—
I rendering classification of pupils and comparisons
j of schools, and judgment of tlieir progress impossi
‘ ble—reducing the value of the teachers' labor,
j impeding the progress ol the pupils, and causing
much additional expense to parents. lu former
reports 1 have spoken of the stej* and means taken
to remove the great evil of various and foreign
j text-books from our Cau&dian schools, and to intro
! ducc a uniform and superior series of text-books
inti» the schools.
The object of the Legislature in providing for the
establishment and support of public schools,—like
providing for a militia and soldiery—-is the safety
' and welfare of the country ; and all the requisites
| for the efficiency of the one as well as the other,
| are but means to that end ; and as it is not left to
any and every individual gunsmith or tailor, to get
up and sell as he cao the tools and clothing for the
! regular or militia soldiery, but the government
| must use the right and every p«>asible care and
1 deliberation, to select and provide arms and cloth
' ing for the defenders of the country, so must the
| same authority and equal care be employed to pro
! vide for the public schools—the best police for the
country—the text-books or tools that are required
for the highest efficiency of the schools. It is not
j for an individual author or publisher to say that
j his productions are best, and therefore must he
i reocived into the schools as fancy may dictate, and
i the importunity of individual speculation may per
; susde, any more thau for the gunsmith or the tailor
j to say that his productions are best, and therefore
< must be admitted into the army, as the fancy of
each officer or soldier may dictate, or as the gun
' maker or clothes-maker may persuade. Nor would
j the efficiency of the army be more impaired by
diversity of arms and clothing, than would the
; efficiency of the schools by diversity of text-books.
| Individual enterprise may be employed in both
! oases—in supplying the oountry’s defenders with
| arms and clothing, as well as the country’s schools
with text-books and apparatus ; but in the one
! case, as well the other, the articles supplied must
I be those which have been selected and approved by
1 public authority." 1
lie also reiterates in bis report for 1867—
“Uniformity of text-book* in the public schools of
a country has long been long insisted upon by the
most experienced educationists on both sides of the
Atlantic, as of the utmost importance to the efficien
cy of the schools and the progress of the pupils.
The question may be considered as so entirely
settled by common consent in this province, that I
need not again adduce the arguments and a ithori
ties of educationists in other countries, as f have
done in previous annual reports, to evince the im
portance of but one series of text-books for oar
public schools, and to show the losses and evils •
arising from admitting a diversity of text-books in
the schools. Having succeeded in this vital branoh
of our work beyond any country or state with
which I am acquainted, it remained for us to
render the text-books as perfect in matter and
method, as good in quality, and as moderate in
price as possible."
Again in 18b«—
“ The question of uniformity of text-books is
now so settled by the common consent in this
country, that I need not adduce the arguments and
authorities of educationists in other countries, as I
have done in my last and previous aonaal reports,
to evince the importance of but one series of text
books for our public schools, and to show the losses
and evils arising from admitting a diversity of
text-books in the schools. We have thus far suc
ceeded beyond any country or State with which i
am acquainted, in America or Europe, in establish
ing what the educationist* of all countries consider
to be of the utmost importance—uniformity of
text-books in tho public schools ; and it now re
mains for us to render them us perfect in matter
and method, as good in quality, and as moderate
iu price, as possible."
Canada owns the copyright of her school books
and uses a uniform series throughout the entire
Province.
j nr testimony and experience of Mates adopt•
my State uniformity favor the plan. Vermont estab
lished uniformity in 1858, re-enacted it, and con
tinues it upon the .Statute book to-day,without any
difficulties except such as are inflicted upon her by
“enterprising publishers’’ whose book? were not em
braced in the list selected. The weak point in the
\ ermont law is that there is no penalty attached to
its violation. To-day the people in Vermont get
their books from 25 to 40 per cent, cheaper than we
do in Maino. It is true that tho people in Vermont
and Brooklyn can purchase books other than these
prescribed by law cheaper than the books selected.
This however results from the efforts of rival pub
lishers to break down the present arrangement,—
eTorts dictated by jiolicyt not economy.
California established uniformity in 1S63. The
law continues in force. In 1807 Superintendent
Sweet reports as follows:
“The State Superintendent has not foond it neces
sary to enforce the penalty for not adopting the
State scries of text-books in a single instance since
| the passage of the law in 1863. The people, see
ing the advantages to result from it, have cheer
fully Complied with the law. Occasionally some
teacher in a remote county district, wi«e in his own
' conceit, has smuggled some favorite old fossil text
book, like Smith’s Grammar, into use for a single
I term, but these cases have been exceedingly rare.
I am confident that this single provision of the
school law hag saved to the people of the State
| during the past five yea* $50,000, in tho purchase
j of books, to say nothing of the incalculable ad
j vantage derived from it in classification of the
schools. Tho action of the State Board in the
J adoption of the State series, was placed above sus
| picion from the fact that it was based upon the vote
| of the teachers assembled in State Convention.
A few h«ne?t-minded people at first were opposed
to a uniform State series, on the ground that it
would lead to a ‘monopoly’ by publishing booses;
but even these have now become oonvinoed that the
limited demand for California has not been sufficient
to be felt at all by the great publishing houses in
New York, Boston and Philadelphia.
I ain not aware that any one has yet discovered
that any of the text-books on arithmetic, geogra
phy, grammar or physiology, are ‘partisan’ in
; their character. The impression seems to have
prevailed in some parts of the State that the State
Board and State Superintendent were * bought by
book publishers,’ and that they have grown rich on
percentages received from the sale of books. The
i simple fact is that tho State series of text-books was
voted on by the teachers of the State, assembled in
convention, and adapted by the State Board, before
the publishers in the East know of a law autho
rizing the adoption of a State series. Neither the
State Board nor the State Superintendent has *
either received or a.-ked any ‘consideration* from
publishers, nor have they been insulted by auy
such propositions.”
In conversation with Mr. Sweft last summer, he
informed me that tho best of results wore still flow
ing from that enactment.
In Maryland uniformity continued two years, and
was then overturned, together with tho whole
school system. This happened two years after the
war, when Maryland returned to her Southern
affinities and changed her whole political machinery.
Would our friends, the advocates of town uniformi
ty, like to follow Maryland in all her overturnings
and abolishments ? Tennessee has just followed
Maryland's example, turning away her rotate Supt.,
Gen Eaton of Vermont, who had just succeeded in
establishing a system of free schools Gen Eaton
succeeds Dr Barnard in tho National Curesu of
Education. X States‘in Wisconsin uniformity has
been abolished.* 1 am suspicious here is another
display of ignorance, or is it anot'icr attempt to
carry a false impression to the people of Maine ?
We will quote from the Superintendeuts report
for 1868:
“The law makes it the duty of the State Super
intendent to recommend the introduction of the
most approved text books, and as far as practica
ble. to secure a uniformity in the use of text-books
iu tho common schools throughout the State.
For eleven years past no attempt has been made
by the State Superintendent to secure a uniformity
of text-books, except by making an official recom
mendation of such works as seemed to be best
adapted for use in tho schools ; and four years
past this recommendation has covered, in the main
branches of study pursued, the works of several
authors. Section 53 of the school code provides
that “the board in each district shall have power,
under the advice of tho Superintendent of Public
Instruction, to determine what school and text
books shall be used in the several branches taught
in the schools of such districts This practically
puts the whole matter into the hands of the district
boards, the Superiu ten dent having no power to en
force his recommendations, aud as a consequence
uniformity is not secured.”
Wisconsin has hul no law for State uniformity.
How oould she abolish what she never had 7 I ueed
not mention other States or cite Canada. I leave
the evideooc to those who are seeking for truth,
albeit they are obliged sometimes to wade through
error.
•jiu. i imvij uu uOTiiAiiun m (ajing iuu» mo
■State of Maine ia generally demanding State uni
foriuity. The principal exooption-- are a few of the
oities, not all. Portland and Baogor are epp*>sed
to it. They feel no inconvenience from the variety
of text-books and wish “to be lot alone.’* This is
very natural, but does not seem to me to exhibit
the generous nature attached to and iuherent in a
common citizenship, ora broad and deep interest in
the Daily Public School and the weal of the com
moti people Bath is indifferent, and well she may
be, for it is tho only city in the State which by
special legislation may purchase at city expense
books for the scholar* This she docs effecting a
great saving. “At the time the committee began
to furnish books, they made arrangements with
most of the publishers of school books by which they
purchased aud unit be able henceforth to purchase
school books for about 20 per oent. leas than
the wholesale prices”—( Bath Report, I&&9 ) I have
not yet been able to And a remonstrance from Bath.
Rockland sends in a remonstrance with only
signature The people of RookUnd, however, in
publio meeting, expressed themselves through a
resolution presented by Mayor Kimball a« follows ;
Resolved, That we, citizens of Rockland, do
fully endorse the views presented by Hun. Warren
Johnson, that there should be uniform text-books
for the schools throughout the State, that all cbil
drea ia health, belweua the ages suitable Ihexef^